October 13, 2024

FAITH WORTH FOLLOWING:  STANDING WHEN YOU’RE TOLD TO SIT DOWN

October 13, 2024

Pastor Jonathan Falwell

Many decades ago, a large number of people were referred to as the Silent Majority. The attempts to describe these persons can include those who remain aloof from situations in the midst of turmoil because it doesn’t affect them personally. It reminds one of King Hezekiah, in 2 Kings 20:19, upon learning destruction would be coming from Babylon, saying, “Well, it isn’t going to happen in my day, so it’s all good” (a loose paraphrase, but so like us today). If trouble isn’t going to affect us, we’re quiet. Today we study Isaac, who stayed faithful to God when everyone around him was causing trouble. Let’s learn from Isaac: there are times we must stand up against false ideologies and obey God—no matter what.

Focal Passage: Genesis 26:12-33.

Following God faithfully will lead to trouble:

  • Read Gen. 26:1-4,12-17. What had God promised Isaac in verses 1-4? Why did he go to Gerar? Why did he stay where he was? Yet, when Isaac planted his crops, what was his harvest?
  • How could you interpret verse 12, if it applied to you? What did he have? Can you imagine investing something, and reaping the maximum amount of return? Would you feel blessed?
  • What did the Philistines feel toward him? Why? What did they do to show their jealousy? What were they hoping to accomplish? What were Isaac’s choices at this time?
  • Ultimately, who is motivating those who are causing trouble or being jealous (read Eph. 6:12)? Are you ever jealous of people who are receiving God’s blessings? Why?

Following God faithfully will lead to blessing:

  • Read Gen. 26:18-22. When this passage begins, what are the Philistines doing to try to run Isaac out of the area? Did he throw up his hands and say, “I quit!”?
  • What happened when his servants dug the last well? What does its name mean? If you named something Rohoboth, meaning “wide open spaces,” how would you visualize it? What was Isaac’s response to the end of the dissension with the Philistines (vs. 22b)? How did this show God’s blessing?
  • Think back to Abraham’s life for a moment; how were some of the ways he was blessed because he had been faithful to God? Did he have a promise from God to rely on in his life? Did the promise get passed on to Isaac? Why does perseverance make such a difference in life when we are striving to reach a goal?

Following God faithfully is the only option:

  • Read Gen. 26:23-29. Isaac had resided outside of Gerar after his final well was dug; now, in vs. 23, he moves about twenty miles to Beersheba. What occurred the “same night”? What did Isaac do after God appeared to him?
  • After Isaac settles in Beersheba, why does Abimelech, a friend, and the commander of his army come to Isaac? What were they basing their request on? Why were they concerned about Isaac’s faithfulness to his God?
  • Is it possible, since God was blessing Isaac so greatly, these men might be concerned their villages and their lives might be in danger, if he kept increasing in goods and servants? What was the flattery for? Should this be our testimony?

TAKE AWAYS:

  • Living a life of faithfulness will likely lead to trouble but live it anyway.
  • When others oppose you, don’t fight, live like Christ. Throwing bombs does not make a good testimony. You want others to see Jesus in your actions.
  • If it is possible, live peaceably with all men!
  • When the only acceptable response to opposition is compromise—DON’T!

Close:                                                                                                                                                                                             In this passage from the life of Isaac, we see two major lessons to be learned for today’s world. Isaac, living in the middle of Philistines in the land of Canaan, was the recipient of God’s promise to his father, Abraham, that as far as his eye could see he would inherit the land of Canaan. Also, his descendants would be many and inherit the land as well. As we sojourn here on this earth, we are not unlike Isaac: we are living among a people and culture who hate what we stand for. Not because we are troubling them in any way, but because our beliefs are a constant indictment of what God desires from all men. They do not want to live for Him, worship Him, or trust Him. Their lives are wrapped up in themselves, and for a people to live for God makes them uncomfortable. So, they hate us. We should be just like Isaac – living among them and having a testimony that we love them, despite hating to see lifestyles that will one day condemn them to an eternity far from God.

Our second lesson is the faithfulness of Isaac’s father, Abraham, passed on to Isaac, produced God’s blessings in Isaac’s life. When we think of Abraham, we see a man who trusted every word God spoke to him. If God gave instructions, he obeyed. If He gave a promise, Abraham believed it. His life became an example for us, that we live with obedience and trust every day, so we can become a testimony to everyone we see.  Do we have options? Yes, we can quit. Is that the thing to do? Not if we want to live life to the fullest, with others saying, “You are now blessed of the Lord.” How inspiring is that?

By Sandy Day

October 13, 2024

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